For those of us still adjusting to the New Year, now is the deadline. It is period for the Chinese Lunar New Year, celebrated all over the world, as Chinese enclaves exist in most big cities all over the globe.
Wherever they are in the world, the Chinese never forget their unique culture, traditions, and history. In a recent interview, Henry Kissinger expressed his insight on the Chinese mindset, which he compared to the Chinese game of “go”, as contrasted to the Western game of “chess”; Kissinger said the Chinese mind is not concerned about winning, but more interested in the idea of strategic encirclement.
His insight made his diplomatic efforts fruitful in the sense that after years of isolation, the restoration of U.S. diplomatic relations with China opened the way with is engagement with the rest of the world.
Historian Arnold Toynbee predicted that this is the century of the Chinese. The warning was: “Do not wake up the sleeping dragon!” and true enough, China has emerged as the financier and commercial center of the world.
By and large, somehow, being of mixed race, there exists some Chinese ancestor in our Filipino genealogy, and this is probably the reason why most Chinese Filipinos are fully assimilated in our community. Even P-Noy has Chinese ancestry, and he exhibits the traits of having a low profile-humility, filial piety, and a strong sense of right and wrong.
We have come to regard as our own pancit, chop-suey, lugao, siopao, and other Chinese delicacies that dominate our fiesta fare. And we do celebrate Chinese New Year, or we accept the practice by our local residents of Chinese ancestry.
Looking back, the news headlines have featured kidnappings of mostly Filipino-Chinese businessmen or their children, and ransom has been paid in the millions. Some of them were rescued and some perished before, during or after the rescue.
Now, the carnapping with murder of car dealers is hugging the headlines, and such acts are so gruesome and heinous that there are calls for the imposition of the death penalty.
There had been good leads and evidence linking the arrested suspects to the crime. Many are fearful of the state of peace and order of the country.
But with good feng sui, and best wishes for the New Year, may we drive out all evil eyes, and encourage good chi to dominate this Year of the Rabbit.
Let us all hope, work, and strive for a better tomorrow for ourselves and our communities. Kung hei fat choi!
